Emacs is a very powerful text editor which you can use to create or edit text files on CUNIX. To start Emacs, type emacs at the UNIX $ prompt. Editing commands are issued by first pressing the Escape key (shown below as M) followed by a command character or by holding down the Control key (shown below as C) and typing a command character.

Emacs 20.7, the version available on the CUNIX Cluster, has X-windows (graphics) support: when run in an X environment, such as on a ColumbiaNet Station or an HP workstation (251 Mudd), and the DISPLAY variable is set correctly, Emacs is displayed in a separate window with a pull-down menu on the top and full mouse control.

If you are using Emacs outside an X environment and want to remove the pull-down menu for the current session, type Esc-X menu-bar-mode. To permanently remove this option, include the following line in the .emacs init file found in your home directory:

(menu-bar-mode nil)

See the man page ($ man emacs) for more information on using Emacs.

Glossary

C-

A control character. C-f means hold down the key marked Control or CTRL and then type f

M-

A two-character command sequence where the first is the key marked ESC. M-f means press ESC, then f.

M-x string

A command obtained by typing in its name. M-x revert-buffer means type ESC thenx then revert-buffer then press the Enter or Return key.